Which ones do you prefer

[Newbeeneil]

Any images of the finished product? Never had castellations as run all poly but that seems like an interesting idea.

A couple of pictures of castellations in a Abelo super.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Well it's always a compliment when a proper beekeeper takes the time to look up my posts - I thank you.

Na!! i think he knows your a beekeeper but just not a proper one.

 

[pargyle]

Na!! i think he knows your a beekeeper but just not a proper one.

I think that's what I've been saying for some time ....

 

[Garry R]

I don't even dowel A tiny blob of Gorilla glue and screw it in and job done/ Works on nay poly box

 

[JamezF]

I think that's what I've been saying for some time ....

Does that mean you're an improper beekeeper?

James

 

[pargyle]

Does that mean you're an improper beekeeper?

James

Some might say that ... I could not possibly comment ...

 

[JamezF]

Some might say that ... I could not possibly comment ...

Aha! The Francis Urquhart defence

James

 

[pargyle]

Aha! The Francis Urquhart defence

James

You might think that, I could not possibly comment

 

[mbc]

I fitted some into Abelo supers by drilling a small hole squirting polyurethane glue in and pushing in a small "rawl plug" prior and fixing with 25mm stainless screws.
Worked a treat!

This spacing in poly supers has occupied quite a bit of my time over the last few years.
I like to start with 11 frames and once they're drawn move to a 9 frame super.
My solution with the abelo supers is a temporary castellation cut from 4mm correx, similarly with the new swienty supers, though I cut an 8 frame version for these. The old style swienty supers have no space with the flat frame rest to accommodate these and I've ended up using plastic ends to space frames in these
I've probably got well over a hundred wooden supers spaced to 9 frames with appropriately spaced nails too, works well

 

[mbc]

My poly supers are Swienty. I’ve cut the runners into castellations. The frames rest on the rebate but that’s not a problem in supers

Making them tbs?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Making them tbs?

Yes.

 

[Curly green finger's]

I really like maisemore poly nucs but blimey they get mouldy and green.
Spent a day cleaning 20 odd of them the other day and panted them.
These are some of my overwintering nucs weighed them today 4c and some of the bee's were in the feeders.

 

[pargyle]

I really like maisemore poly nucs but blimey they get mouldy and green.
Spent a day cleaning 20 odd of them the other day and panted them.
These are some of my overwintering nucs weighed them today 4c and some of the bee's were in the feeders. View attachment 30079

Mine are all Paynes poilys but I've found that, if you don't paint them, they do collect atmospheric dirt in the pores of the poly and then it's only a short step to black mould forming ... looks to me in the photo as though it's the unpainted ones that are suffering ? I now, always, give mine a good coat or two of paint before putting them into use.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I’ve painted all mine but missed a couple of supers so they will be done as soon as I can get them off.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Mine are all Paynes poilys but I've found that, if you don't paint them, they do collect atmospheric dirt in the pores of the poly and then it's only a short step to black mould forming ... looks to me in the photo as though it's the unpainted ones that are suffering ? I now, always, give mine a good coat or two of paint before putting them into use.

Yes the unpainted ones seem to be worse, I have a few unpainted bs nucs and they aren't so bad.
Im going to paint them all eventually when there not in use

 

[Brian Bush]

I have a mixture of Paynes and Maisies. I always try to paint them when new with 2 coats of masonry paint. If they are unpainted and dirty i wash them in bleach solution and then brush the exterior muck off. Folow up with 2 coats of masonry paint.

 

[Boston Bees]

I have a mixture of Paynes and Maisies. I always try to paint them when new with 2 coats of masonry paint. If they are unpainted and dirty i wash them in bleach solution and then brush the exterior muck off. Folow up with 2 coats of masonry paint. View attachment 30084

Ditto. I keep meaning to try garage door paint, as I think I saw that on the Apiarist blog and it looks rather nice and shiny ....

 

[Curly green finger's]

Ditto. I keep meaning to try garage door paint, as I think I saw that on the Apiarist blog and it looks rather nice and shiny ....

Same I Use bleach after a soak in soda crystals and then a good scrub after removing the mesh floor and entrance disc with a hard hand brush.

 

[Fritillary]

Is there a (safe) paint which will discourage mice from nibbling? - is what I'd like to know.

 

[Murox]

Is there a (safe) paint which will discourage mice from nibbling? - is what I'd like to know.

Its doubtful, the archetype mousehole in the skirting board gets created by nibbling through paint and wood which has / had all sorts of nasty stuff in it.